Shadowgraph.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JOHN G. HIRSOH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SHADOWG RAPH.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,416, dated July 1,1902.

Application filed February 1, 1902. $erial No. 92,158. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. HIRSOH, residing at Milwaukee, in the countyof Milwaukee and State of Wisconsim have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Shadowgraphs, of which the following-is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to a device which I call a shadowgraph, that may bemade in many forms and which is so constructed as to cast a shadow whenproperly handled or applied and is intended for the purpose of amusementor to attract attention and is well adapted as a means, in connectionwith advertising, to attract attention to the card or sheet on whichadvertising matter is placed.

The device includes transparent or translucent material, like a sheet ofpaper, or, advisably,cardboard, of paper or celluloid,which I call theshadow-board, with a figure or figures cut or formed of opaque orlight-obstructing material and fastened or secured to the rear surfaceof the shadow-board either centrally or at distant points, theportionsof the figure or figures not directly fastened to the shadow-board beingbent or carried away from the surface of the shadow-board, so as topermit lightwhen coming thereto in an ob lique direction to passunderneath the parts of the figure thus carried away from theshadowboard. With a device thus constructed and held up before the eyesby placing a small but sharp light at the rear of the device and movingthe light around from place to place or by holding the light still andmoving the device around in .front of the light an apparent movement ofthe figure is produced that attracts attention and may be either amusingor interesting, or both, depending on the character of the figure andthe effect produced thereby. Anyformoffiguremaybeemployed that isdesired, and I have shown three forms of figures in the drawings toillustrate limitedly the variety of figures that may be used.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates my improved shadowgraph with thefigure of a brownie employed therewith. It is a rear View. Fig. 2 is anedge view of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of the'shadow-board of the device shown in Fig. 1, the eifect of the shadowbeing shown thereon.

Fig. 4 is a shadowgraph having the figure of a' snake coiled and securedto theshadowboard. Fig. 5 is an edge View of the device shown in Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a device with the figure of a butterfly thereon. Fig. 7 is anedge View of the device shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, 8 represents the shadowboard, which may be in the formof a card, as shown in the drawings, or may be of any other formdesired, but must beof transparent or translucent material adapted topermit the passage of more or less light through it. In Figs. 1 and 2 afigure 9 of a brownie is shown, which figure is cut from some thinmaterial which is opaque or to some extent" light-obstructing. Thisfigure I have shown as fastened to the rear surface of the shadowboard 8at the toes 10 and also at the upper end of the body 11. Theintermediate portion 12 is curved away from the shadow-board 8, as alsothe head 13, and the arms 14: are bent or carried away from the surfaceof the shadow-board. Holding this device with one hand before the eyes,especially in the dark, and holding a candle or even a lighted match inthe other hand and moving it around in a circle or in irregular form atthe rear of the device a; shadow will be cast on the shadowboard, whichcan be seen through the board at the front, somewhat as shown at 15 inFig. 3, which shadow will be constantly changing, making the head, arms,and body of the brownie to appear to be moving, giving to the browniethe appearance and action of a contortionist.

. In FigsA and 5 I show the figure of a snake 16 in coiled form, and thefigure in this instance is secured to the shadow-board along a centrallongitudinal line 17, and the margins of the figure above and. belowthis line of attachment are curved or carried away from theshadow-board, so that the relatively moving light in its changingpositions will shine obliquely under and past the figure, casting ashadow that will be constantly changing in form as the light movesabout, giving the snake the appearance of rolling along on theshadow-board.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown the figure of a butterfly 18, which inthis instance is attached to the shadow-board on a central longitudinalline vertically. The extended wings or margins 19 of the figure are bentor carried away from the shadow-board, whereby a light moved about atthe rear of the device will throw its rays past the thus-distant marginsof the figure in oblique directions onto and through the shadow-board,thus giving the figure when the light is moved about or relatively theappearance of flying or movement on the shadow-board.

The figures may be secured to the shadowboard by paste or cement or evenby staples or in any other convenient manner, though some adhesivesubstance is preferred. The figures might even be inserted through slitsmade therefor in the shadow-board. The specific means for securing thefigures to the shadow-board forms no part of my invention and istherefore not specifically illustrated.

From the three illustrations shown in the drawings it will be understoodthat the figures employed may vary unlimitedly, for not only may figuresof animals be employed, but figures of athletes, ballet-dancers,highland dancers, Washerwomen, clowns, rope-walkers, or any other figurethat strikes the fancy of the user may be employed.

It will beunderstood from the foregoing description of the constructionand operation of my shadowgraph that in order to obtain the shadow bythe method to be employed parts of the figure must be distant orseparated by a space from the shadow-board, so that rays of light comingthereto in oblique direction and passing the figure will pass throughthe shadow-board under or at an angle to those parts of the figure, andwhile in the drawings devices are illustrated in which only parts of thefigure are bent or carried away from the shadow-board it should also beunderstood that by curving or carrying the shadow-board away from partsof a fiat figure substantially the same or quite similar effects couldbe obtained, and such construction must be deemed the equivalent of thatshown and hereinbefore described.

WVhat I claim as my invention is-- 1. A shadowgraph, comprising atranslucent shadow-board, a figure secured thereto at one or morepoints, one at least of which points is medially of the figure or at adistance from its termination other parts of the figure extending adistance from the board whereby light can pass obliquely under the partor parts of the figure thus separated from the board and cast a shadowthereon.

2. A shadowgraph, comprising a board or sheet of light-transmittingmaterial, a figure in light-obstructing material secured medially to thelight-transmitting material, other parts of the figure being at adistance from but opposite to the light-transmitting material.

3. An article of manufacture, consisting of a sheet or board oflight-transmitting material, a figure of light-obstructing materialsecured at a point or points one at least of which points is medially ofthe figure or at a distance from its termination to the surface of thelight-transmitting material and having other parts opposite to but at adistance from the light-transmitting material.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. I-IIRSCH.

\Vitnesses:

C. T. BENEDICT, ANNA V. FAUsT.

